A/N: Finn's song is "Still" by Canadian rock band, The Cliks.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
I'm Your Man

As promised Piper met up with Finn later in the week; greeted the big-shot rock star with a one-armed hug as she held the bassinet in the other. The sharpshooter was giddy as a schoolboy, and had a big present for the lovely ladies, one he was sure they were going to love.

When he offered a tour of the recording studio Piper raised a steady hand and declined sharply; she'd seen enough of this place and didn't think much of the soundproof rooms and the garish wall of shining metallic records. The place was closed at noon for maintenance cleaning but Finn had a special key and an easy relationship with the security guards. Guaranteed his squad mate they weren't going to get into trouble. How could they? He was one of their big stars and he brought in cash.

Throwing a glance over her shoulder back at the glass doors, the weather certainly didn't look like midday. Black, low clouds blocked out the sky and the air smelled crisp. Hopefully it was going to snow. The shadows hung around like it was already past six o'clock and the nearly abandoned building became a semi-predictable maze of rectangular rooms and hallways, executive offices and black cubicles.

It smelled a little funny in here too, like stale nacho chips and drops of liquid cheese forgotten in the corners. If rock musicians were anything like Finn, they likely devoted their diet to the glory of junk food and the art of tossing crumpled papers at trash cans when it came to the task of songwriting.

They arrived at one of his favourite rooms. Amber eyes registered the worn wood of the dressing room, the panelled walls of the small, cramped space that held crude shelving for the black, textured cases of concert instruments. It was considerably warm in here, absorbed the residual heat of the individuals that passed through and gave their blood to the production of the art called music. The light had a tallow, gritty feel to it, like it wanted to burn out from exhaustion but wasn't allowed to, not until the walls crumbled first.

It spoke of wear and tear, and it was not like Finn at all. Wondered perhaps if there was more passion in his musicianship than just the glamour of colourful money, fame, and pretty girls.

They listened to the entire album in contemplative silence. While the musician teetered back in his rudimentary plastic chair and did what musicians did when they listened to their own music – like make scrunchy faces and mouth refrains and twiddle their fingers to mimic riffs – Piper remained still and focused on the lyrics. The dark tones of the songs and the sultry mood.

When the needle of the phonograph reached the outer edge of the black disc, the sound of white noise pervaded the air as Finn reached over and switched off the machine. Blue eyes alight with excitement, his jaw hung open catching flies as he waited for the raving review.

"So what? What do you think? Epic, huh? Finntastic!"

Piper had a different visceral reaction. Her throat felt like cotton as she blinked and regained her bearings. "Well," she breathed softly, "this is really different from your first. It's like you actually have a personality somewhere in that large, delightful ego."

He missed the jab.

"I know, right! I mean, I've done the big, heavy noise and wanted to try something different. Innovative, they said. So I started listening to other types of music – I know, right? - and bam! Out comes this new sound that's kinda old, but it's new to me. Old school blues with electric guitar, and I thought it was pretty cool. I got an organ player and three backup singers - total babes too – and got to play with the same guys from my first gig! A group of old guys who really know how to play. And they think I'm the greatest! This record is gonna rock all your socks off!"

His audience of one nodded absently to keep up with the adrenaline rush of musical pride. Hey, Finn may have a lazy personality but he did have the odd glimmer of talent, if only someone could keep his head to the grindstone and polish the rough edges out. And here it was, a brand new album.

Piper agreed. It was pretty amazing, and unbelievable considering. And which song was supposed to be about her again?

Finn stared at her with his mouth held open, as if duh she should have figured that out by now. But since she was so overwhelmed with his genius, he'd set up the player again and replay the single. Yeah, he planned to make it his second single to balance the more rock-friendly debut song that was the bridge between his first album and the second.

Amusing himself with his new goddaughter who squirmed about in her carrier and laughed as Uncle Finn unbuckled her safety belt and lifted her out, he jiggled her soft body and tickled her belly as Piper listened once more. Unaware of the intense emotional reaction across her face as Lark gained the whole of his undivided attention. Stood up from his head and took the infant into the hallway where he could show her all the faces of the rock stars she'd grow up listening to.

And Piper felt heavy alone in that wooden, yellow-tinged room. Invisible hands reached into her abdomen and gently squeezed her intestines, massaged her innards that resulted in indigestion. An unpleasant feeling as she mentally followed the words. Finn had a good voice, perhaps enhanced by the producers and the sound engineers, but the soul was there. He sang like he was the one living the song instead of her.

And he was right, the song wasn't really about her. More like it was for her. Or could have been. Well, it could have been anyone, right? Written from the perspective of someone who wanted to be this woman's lover, who still held the torch and dreamed of holding her body at night. It had innuendo. It insinuated the act of sex.

Piper exhaled through her nose and shut her eyes. The organ tapped at her heart. The harmony of the backup singers made her want to get up and sway her body slowly. A triumphant pyramid of angel voices, rising and falling with crescendo and decresendo. The muffled horns wound a line of small, tight coils like a spring. The guitar repeated the words the singer spoke. The organ player slid across the keyboard like a fingernail running across her spine.

Holy shit.

Everything howled and moaned.

It had a desperate, angry sound that resonated in her head and reminded her of Aerrow. Like he wanted her, and wanted her now, and would be hers if she asked tonight. He'd be a better lover than the man who left her. The other lover. She could picture him here, a solitary figure that stood bright against the muted, inky background. Held his gloved hand out to her, his green eyes dark and inviting. Had that look he wore before they first started dating. That intense, longing stare.

She needed to get out of here.

Quietly she suffered the rest of the song, gradually distanced herself from the music bar by bar, from the six-eighth tempo and the reverb of the electric guitar. She had to take Lark home before it got dark, and she wanted to see her husband. Oh, but he was away. If only he was here and he could kiss her softly and quench the smouldering fire within.

Thank Atmos all things came to an end. Piper never thought Finn could be so... sensual. It was kinda unnerving. Was this supposed to be a rock ballad? It was more like a drop your clothes kind of song. Again, considering the musician, kinda gross. Finn was like a brother to her.

But it was just a song and she needed to get out of here. Now.

Finn handed her a copy of his sophomore album, hugged her and grinned like a small boy. Waved goodbye to Lark and blew a raspberry on her tiny, curled hand. Said her mother was the second person to come over and listen to his continued genius. She would have been the first if she hadn't broken her promise earlier this week, but Aerrow stepped up like a buddy and now two of his best pals had first-edition copies. How great was that! And guess what? He loved it too!

Well, almost. Aerrow did say something about the songs ringing truth, and maybe next time Finn should ask candid permission about writing about the romantic lives of his best mates. Not that they minded, he didn't mind, but some forewarning would be greatly appreciated. Especially Stork. You knew how neurotic he could be. Mindworms. Always, the mindworms.

Finn waved an airy hand and shrugged at Piper just like he did with Aerrow. He'd take his advice into consideration. Not like Mr. Sky Knight knew how hard it was to be a rock star and all, and still be part of the team. The Storm Hawks were his muses and he'd given them all a proper dedication on the back of the cover. Hell, the past couple of years provided a lot of great songwriting material and it wasn't like anybody was going to associate his songs with his friends, right?

Piper cringed. He could be so clueless sometimes. She opted to meet him in the middle.

"Eh, yeah. I kinda agree with Aerrow on this, Finn. It's great and all, but I think he's just worried we'd be the butt of late-night jokes when the album drops. You know how music critics are. They want to analyze everything."

"Oh, right." Which meant he completely missed the mark.

She sighed and waved goodbye.

Piper intended to spend the rest of the day alone with her daughter, put her in the crib for her two o'clock nap and take the baby monitor outside with her while she caught some fresh air. Maybe rake some of the damp leaves that littered the pathway to the house and make the yard look tidier. Yeah, good plan. Then she'd go inside and prepare some hot chocolate with real cocoa. Add a generous dollop of whipped cream and have play time with Lark before she prepared for dinner. Pizza sounded good.

The young woman didn't realize how tiring it would be have a kid semi-permanently glued to your hip, but it was absolutely worth it. She loved watching her daughter sleep, her tanned skin soft and glowing. And the best part was watching her wake up. The small oval mouth opened tiny and gumless in a sleepy yawn. Those large russet-coloured eyes far too big for her squishy face – blinked wide and wondrous as she recognized the presence of her mother and smiled. Good heavens, that irresistible baby smile. Like the most perfect ray of sunshine.

From the moment she first held her, it was love at first sight. Piper touched her necklace and smiled to herself. Oh, she definitely wanted more babies.

Content for the moment, she hummed the chorus of Finn's song and softly patted her daughter's rump before leaving the nursery.

Buttoning up a heavy grey coat and pulled a toque over her ponytail, Piper cast a glance upwards at the unpredicted gloomy weather. Dreadful. It'd better snow tonight and dust the ground in the soft, powdery white substance because Terra Atmosia hadn't seen a single snowy day all season, and she wanted to take Lark out in it. The gunmetal darkness threw off her Circadian rhythms, already upset by pre-scheduled nighttime feeding, and this weather made her stir crazy. A nighttime that never ended.

As she swept up the soggy remains of tree leaves along the front of the house, the roar of a skimmer greeted her muffled ears. It was much too early for Ace to return from meeting some...business associates on Terra Neon, and he'd said he'd be back in a couple of days.

Their roles reversed, Piper spent the majority of her days attending to Lark while her husband regretfully took commercial trips to meet and greet members of dubious morality. Not that her husband was a gangster, not like The Colonel but one did wonder how he seemed to know what auction was being held where and what rare treasures they were selling off. If she had to put a label to his occupation, she'd label him a professional gambler and benefactor, someone who liked to bid in odd places and provide monetary support for treasure seekers in return for first choice at the goods. Then he'd upset the Sky Knights' sense of dignity when he rendered good information on a piratical fugitive they'd failed to locate.

Not entirely pleased at having the house to herself all night, Piper resolved to take another listen at Finn's album. Specifically the song she apparently inspired without her knowledge or consent, and the woman was determined to deconstruct every lyric and every bar of music of that blasted tune.

She hurried to the side of the house where the double garages were, rake in hand as boot prints blocked a diagonal path in the soggy mush of the lawn. A blue vehicle with a helmeted pilot came into view around the line of neatly clipped hydrangea bushes that delineated the front gardens.

Aerrow.

Pulling off his headgear with a jerk, the Sky Knight appeared sheepish and jittery and far too nervous for this to be a comfortable social call. Judging by his tight lipped smile, maybe he intended to drop by and knock on the door, hoping she was out with the baby. That way he could fulfil his inner desire to see her without actually having to and avoid the awkward conversation ahead.

"Hey, you could have called y'know." were her first words. Her second intended to fall along the lines of why he continued to avoid her and Lark since the naming ceremony.

"I know. I wanted to talk to you if you're not busy." A beat. She stared at his brown bomber jacket. "Is Ace home?"

What would be the cost if she lied? Would Aerrow simply fly off again?

"No. He's away on a trip so it's just me and the baby for a couple of days."

She didn't like the way his shoulders relaxed as if he was off the hook. Or the pinched frown that graced his forehead when he looked up at the house.

"Is she sleeping?"

Piper nodded and dared to move closer, used the gardening tool like a walking staff. "Yeah. We saw Finn earlier today at the studio."

"What do you think?"

There was no invitation but they both walked towards the porch. Aerrow followed Piper's footsteps up the wooden stairs and tried to focus on something other than the swaying of her rear. They wiped their muddy boots against the coarse outdoor mat and removed their footwear. Two pairs of socked feet gingerly stepped inside the clean house and they shed their coats. Laid them upon a nearby chair.

"It's good. Really good. I was more than a little surprised to find out his source of inspiration. A warning would have been nice."

"I said that too."

"I know you did, Finn told me." Another pause. A secretly held breath. "What did you want to talk about?"

Aerrow pulled off his riding gloves and rubbed his mouth with his left hand, stalling for time. Vacantly Piper noticed the shine of a gold earring on his left ear; it must be a recent acquisition. He noticed her staring and turned his cheek to her.

"Do you like it?"

She nodded. Yeah, she liked it. She liked his eyes, his wild untamed hair, his new concession to personal vanity. To her inner dismay that twisted her gut, Piper admitted that he looked rather sexy and dangerous with his new piece of jewelry. Like a charming rebel with a good heart.

"You look good."

He grinned, and she imagined her compliment likened to the tender stroke of a happily petted cat. "Thanks. It means a lot coming from you. Finn wanted me to get a piercing when he got his tattoo, but I wasn't ready yet. Do you have any coffee? Mind if I sit while we talk?"

This time she did invite him in – straight into the formal living room. Might as well make that hot chocolate now when she had company. Did he want mini marshmallows or whipped cream? Emerging from the corner of the kitchen, he whispered loudly that he wanted both. He was going to shout but remembered there was a sleeping kid in the house, and he didn't want to get on Piper's bad side.

As they sipped the rich chocolate liquid from their matching mugs, Aerrow eyed the flat, square object lying on the coffee table. Finn's record.

"How come you haven't come to see me?" Piper's bold voice jolted her companion to guilty attention. He avoided her question with a statement of his own.

"Finn wasn't really telling the truth. That song wasn't about you, it was for me. I helped him write it, and when he told me you came over to the studio and asked to hear the song twice I had to know."

Piper sucked in her lips and took a large gulp of her beverage. The liquid burned a hole down her throat and added to her increasing indigestion. This was not going to be a pleasant conversation.